Whangārei singer-songwriter takes it to stage in hometown before moving to the US

Whangārei singer-songwriter Erin Cole-Baker will be performing fresh songs written during her recent road trip through the States. Photo / Bruce Cole-Baker

Freshly returned from a seven-month road trip along the US west coast, singer-songwriter Erin Cole-Baker from Parua Bay is returning to her hometown to bring new songs on to the stage.

Together with her friends Emily and Sam Benge from Whangārei folk music band Little Ripples, and Jon Sanders and Mark Mazengarb, Cole-Baker will perform this Friday at the Old Library.

She said she'll be singing some of her new titles, including her latest song Keep Driving born out of her recent trip to the States with her husband and two daughters.

"We were on the road for seven months with no normal home. The RV [recreational vehicle] had become our home for that time which was fun."

Growing up in Parua Bay from when she was seven, Erin Cole-Baker has been calling Whangārei home for a long time, but her family is also drawn to the Pacific Northwest. Photo / Bruce Cole-Baker

Cole-Baker explained that her music usually was inspired by what was happening in her life and that she tended to stay true to herself, producing music that resonated with her rather than writing songs according to what people might want to hear.

Born in Oregon, Cole-Baker was always drawn to the Pacific Northwest and even lived there with her husband for six years, before returning to Northland to raise their children.

Their recent road trip was an opportunity for Cole-Baker to perform in front of different audiences playing up to three shows a week, foster new connections within the American folk music scene and reaffirm old friendships.

In her 2018 album recorded at Anzac Road Studio in Whangārei, Cole-Baker explored that emotional balancing act between her family ties and everything that bounds her to New Zealand to the excitement and vast opportunities she connects with the States.

With her soft silver voice, Cole-Baker takes listeners on a journey through life, full of gentle acoustic tunes with refreshing sounds from an electric guitar.

While Friday's performance will be exclusively acoustic, Cole-Baker said she enjoyed the bolder tunes from her electric guitar and frequently explores how both worlds of sound collide in songs.

She has been working closely with the Little Ripples duo – Emily Benge on ukulele and Sam Benge on double bass – playing three-part harmonies which Friday's audience will also be able to enjoy.

Co-performer Mark Mazengarb is a Kiwi guitarist who is known for his finger-style technique, as well as his sensitive approach to the guitar and will join the stage alongside Jon Sanders, a virtuoso bouzouki and tenor ukulele player and drop D guitarist, who will be playing songs from his new album Nada Brahma featuring elements of gypsy, funk, Arabic and Celtic styles.

The Friday night gig might be one of the last occasions to see Cole-Baker playing on her home turf as her family has decided to live in Oregon for the foreseeable future.

The gig will kick off on Friday, January 10 at 7pm at the Old Library, 7 Rust Ave, Whangārei. To buy tickets for $20, visit eventfinda.co.nz.

More events coming up

Jon Sanders
Far North Joyfest
January 11
Butler Point in Hihi, all day

Erin Cole-Baker & Little Ripples
Absurdian Café
January 12
Kaiwaka, 4-6pm

Jon Sanders with Chileidhli
Ohura Rugby Club
January 17
Ohura, 7.30pm

Little Ripples with Erin Cole-Baker
Auckland Folk Festival
January 24-27

Erin Cole-Baker band
Kainui Vineyard & Brewery
February 1
Kerikeri, 3-6pm